Union contracts are increasingly viewed as essential for American workers facing changes due to artificial intelligence (AI), particularly as Congress remains inactive on the issue. Nearly 90% of the U.S. workforce lacks union representation, leaving around 130 million workers without the leverage that unions provide as companies implement AI technologies that alter job roles and lead to layoffs.
Jon Schleuss, President of the NewsGuild-CWA, stated that significant protections regarding workplace AI are being negotiated at the bargaining table. He emphasized that without a union, workers have limited influence over these changes. Former FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya noted that rules negotiated by unions could align with federal policies if Congress takes action.
Currently, the NewsGuild has between 85 and 90 contracts that include specific provisions related to AI. For example, at Politico, unionized reporters successfully challenged management's introduction of AI reporting tools that were implemented without union consent. Similarly, SAG-AFTRA has negotiated protections against AI replicas replacing actors without their consent, and a union representing workers at ZeniMax has secured provisions requiring AI to support rather than replace workers.
AI protections are most prevalent in industries with a strong history of unionization, such as manufacturing, journalism, and entertainment. Tim Newman from TechEquity pointed out that white-collar workers in tech, previously insulated by high wages, are now recognizing their vulnerability as companies use AI as a justification for layoffs.
Existing labor laws, such as the 1988 WARN Act, are not well-suited for the current landscape of remote work and algorithmic layoffs. According to the Economic Policy Institute, approximately 16.5 million U.S. workers were represented by unions in 2025, the highest figure in 16 years, although this represents only 11.2% of the workforce. Unionization rates vary significantly by industry, with 36% of education workers unionized compared to just 4.4% in computer occupations.
While some states are beginning to regulate AI's role in the workplace, federal progress has been slow. Lauren McFerran, former chair of the National Labor Relations Board, criticized the lack of substantial action from Congress, attributing it to lobbying influences. The AFL-CIO Tech Institute supports several proposed bills aimed at protecting workers from AI-related issues.
In summary, the landscape of worker protections in relation to AI is becoming increasingly fragmented, with unionized workers having a voice in their technological future, while those without union representation may face greater uncertainty.